Natural Resources Unit 2: Grassland and Desert Biomes

Desert plants are able to survive long periods with no rain. Which of these plants would you find in the desert?

• cactus

• conifer

• grasses

• wildflowers

What happens to the rain water in the sandy desert?

•  It rains so much that the plants have plenty of water.
• It goes deeper than most roots can reach. 
•  It forms puddles and forces the rivers to overflow.
•  It stays on the top of the soil. 

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Which adaptation do plants in the desert not have? 

• spines
• bark
• thorns
• waxy stems

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What is it called when an animal only comes out at night?

• hibernate
• environment
• nocturnal
• habitat

Which description best matches desert biome ?

• Near the equator, warm temperatures, and abundant rainfall.

• Dry environments that generally receive less than 10 in. of rainfall each year.

• A cold, dry, mostly treeless biome that encircles the Arctic Ocean

There are ______________ types of deserts.

• 4

• 2

• 5

What is the rainshadow effect?

• When the mountains block the passage of rain-producing weather systems and cast a "shadow" of dryness behind them.

• When it does rain for many years

• When it rains and is sunny at the same time

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Why is being nocturnal such a common survival strategy in the desert?

• It is cooler at night than it is during the day.

• It is hotter at night than it is during the day.

• All the animals in a desert can only see in the dark.

Why is the ocean breeze very important to some deserts?

• Because the ocean creates fog that is then absorbed by plants and helps them survive.

• Because the ocean allows animals to have enough water to drink due to the lack of rain.

• Because the ocean creates heavy rainfall that is absorbed by the plans and helps them survive.

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TRUE or FALSE: Polar deserts are found in the Arctic and Antarctica.

• TRUE

• FALSE